Kathopanishad : ( 04/03/2013. )

Chapter-1. Mantram-26. 1. Naciketas, though a child, has the wisdom of a sire. 2. Hence he has come to the sane conclusion that mere wealth cannot and will not provide the possessor  happiness. 3.  The word wealth is used here in its amplest scope to embrace itself every detail and item i all the possible circumstances in life. 4.  Man is not satisfied with wealth. 5. Naciketas the wise and discriminating seeker, firmly informs his teacher that the boon he had asked for all that he need from his Teacher Lord Death Yama.

Chapter-1. Mantram-24,25. 1. Lord Death : "Ask for some other boon to this, if you think fit, such as wealth and long life; be king of the wide earth, O! Naciketas, I shall make you, the enjoyer of all the desires," 2. Lord continued, : " Whatever desires are difficult in this world of mortals, you ask for them all according to your wish."  3. "These fair maidens with their chariots and musical instruments--such indeed are not enjoyable by mortals----you be attended on by them," 4. I will give them to you but O! Naciketas do not ask the question about the state of the soul after death."

Chapter-1. Mantram-23. 1.Lord Death is continuing his endless charms to test the calibre of the student. 2. In this mantram Lord Death has offered Naciketas many sons and grandsons, all centenarians too. 3. Moreover, His list contains material wealth, kingdoms and power. 4. All those would have been useless if the recipient of these blessings had not himself a sufficient span of life to live! 5. But Naciketas is here offered as many years of life as he would like to live and enjoy.

Chapter-1. Mantram-22. 1. If Lord of Death's tempting words in the last mantram were a masterpiece in their suggestiveness for psycho-analysis, the unrelenting words of firm resolve to know and to understand, as expressed by the student here, are equally a great masterpiece. 2. According to Naciketas, the student, there are no boons which can be equal to an answer to this great question of the Beyond, since the fruits gained from all the boons are finite and perishable,  3. as they are all material gains. 4. Again, if even the Devas could not, of their own accord, seek and successfully reach a final understanding of the Nature of Atma. 5.  Hence Naciketas replies:"O!   Death, that even the Gods have doubts here and that this in not so easy to know. None other than you ( Yama, the teacher), who can tell of this, can be found; no other boon can at all, equal this."

Chapter-1. Mantram-21. 1. Lord of Death is here trying to examine Naciketas, the seeker. 2. Says: that the topic is so subtle and difficult to understand, and hence do not waste your boon in explaining a futile enquiry " What happens to the soul after death?" 3. Lord Yama further says: "On this point even the Devas ( Gods) have doubted in olden times, it is not easy to understand, and hence, 4. O! Naciketas choose another boon; do not press me on this, give this up for me," 5. Lord Death had no intentions of evading the question, more than the disciple, the Guru was anxious to give knowledge, 6. But unless the recipient, has the required receptivity, it is not only futile but at times even dangerous to give out the sacred truths of Vedanta to such an unprepared candidate, 7. "A match-box, a blessing  in the hands of a grown-up may be a danger in the hands of a child!"

1. Naciketas begins to ask his third boon:- 2. There is a doubt: 3."When a person is dead," 4. Some say : 'The person exists,' 5. and some again say: 'the person does not.' 6. Naciketas to Lord of Death: "This I should like to know," 7.  This is the third boon, that I ask.

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-19. 1. Extremely pleased at the disciple's intelligence, sincerity and devotion, Lord Death is heaping upon him blessing after blessing. 2. Yamarajan declares that the details of this ritual given out for men-of-the-world through the boy shall be eternally called after Naciketas. 3. Thus Lord of Death, completes his blessing by way of second boon to the boy. 4. Now Yama Himself reminds Naciketas of the third boon: "choose now O! Naciketas, your third boon." 

Chapter-1 Section-1. Mantram-18. 1. Lord Death is here concluding his advice on the Naciketas  Fire-Sacrifice :- 2. Says further :- "He, who has performed the Naciketas fire-sacrifice thrice and thus knows the three: 1. the bricks, 2. their numbers, 3. the mode of their use,  3. throws off the chains of death before the fall of the body itself goes beyond sorrows and rejoices in the heaven-world. 4. This mantram, provides the basis for one of the most important beliefs established in the philosophy of Vedanta regarding the process of gradual liberation. 5. This mantram insists that one, who performs Naciketas-Fire along with the meditation, goes beyond the shackles of death even while living in one's mortal state. 6. Here death means the living death in rotten negativities  such as ignorance, desires, hatred, etc. 7. The practitioner of this synthesis of ritual (karma) and meditation ( upasana) realises his Self to be the Macrocosm, Virat.

Note:- Mantram 16. was not mentioned by mistake, here the 16th mantram is explained below:- ................................................................................................./ 1. Chapter-1 2. Section-1. 3. Mantram-16. 1. When Naciketas repeated everything Lord Yama told him, Lord, 2. Being delighted, the magnanimous Lord Death, spoke to Naciketas: , 3. "I grant now this additional boon:  4. this Fire-Sacrifice ( Homam)  shall be named after you;  5. and you take this multi formed and variegated necklace."

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-17. 1. When Lord of Death, Yama, explaining the fire sacrifice, seeing his disciple's extraordinary retentive capacity, says: that this fire will be later known as Naciketas fire, 2. In this manmtram, we see three-fold Naciketas fire: means a). one who has performed thrice the Naciketas fire, or  b). it may mean he who learns, knows and performs the Naciketas fire sacrifice, or c). Since Naciketas-Fire seems to be form of Agnihotra, the three may mean the usual 1. Garhapatya-fire, 2. Ahavaniya-fire, 3. Daksina-fire. 3. United with three:- this term used in this mantram- mean a). one who has three great influences namely the father, the mother, the teacher,  4. that is : he who has three great forces of blessing and who, through obedience and reverence to them all, has come to claim their blessings, or 5.  b). the three may refer the three sources-of-knowledge namely, 1. Direct experience ( pratyaksa pramana),  2. Inferen

  Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-15. 1. Yama explained to Naciketas that Fire-Sacrifice ( Homam), 2. The source of the worlds, 3. what class of bricks are required for the alter ( Homakundam) , 4. how many, and how they are be placed; 5. and Naciketas repeated back to the teacher Yama all as explained, 6. Then Yama being pleased at this said again........ 7. Lord of Death, feeling happy at this, blesses the disciple with another extra boon. 

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-14. 1. Mantram-12. Naciketas hints about Heavens, then mantram-13. talks about sacred fire sacrifice. 2. Fire sacrifice is the gateway to Heavans, 3. When Naciketas asked the second boon through mantram 12 and 13, 4. Lord of Death, Yama, : "I know well the Fire Sacrifice, O Naciketas, which leads to Heavens, 5. And I will tell it to you. 6. Fire is a support of the Universe in its macro-cosmic aspect, the Virat, 7. This is situated in the heart-cave, meaning in the intellect of the wise, 8. There is a declaration that the outer fire is to be considered as the vital heat in the performer's own heart. 

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-13. 1. In this mantram Nachiketas is asking Lord of Death, the second of his boons. 2. Naciketas is now asking Lord of Death, to give the secret knowledge regarding the karma that is to be done by a mortal in the world, 3. So that, as a result of its reactions he would come come to gain the Elysian pleasures of the Heavans. 4. Naciketas is requesting Lord of Death, to initiate him into the secret of the rituals by which the performer can reach immortality.  

Chapter-1 Section-1. Mantram-12. 1. In order to ask the second boon promised here, Naciketas is glorifying theb life in the higher plane of Consciousness, called the Heavens. 2. In establishing the greatness of Heaven, Naciketas adopts the method of comparing it with the sorrows of the world. 3. Heaven is comparatively without fears, since life in that plane of Conscious-existence is longer, compared to the fleeting span of existence in this mortal plane. 4. Hence Naciketas declares to Lord  of Death, "You are not there." 5. This is not an absolute truth; even for those who live in the Heavens there is mortality: their career ends when they exhaust the merits they had gained while they were living in the mortal plane during their previous embodiments. 6. Man has five stages to live through in life : birth, childhood, youth, old age, and death. 7. But the Devas have only the first three stages. 8. And hence Naciketas says: "Nor, d

Chapter-1. Section-1. Manmtram-11. 1. Naciketa's father has four names as is evident from this mantram, viz , Goutama, Auddalaki, Aruni, Vajasravasah. 2. He was a son of Uddalaki and an adopted child of Aruna. 3. Or, some commentators identify Vajasravasah, father of Naciketas, as the famous Uddalaka Aruni;  4. therefore Auddalaki-Aruni will be Naciketas himself. 5. Thus, "seeing Naciketas freed, Vajasravah will be happy etc" Patronymic name, since Vajasravasah means "son of Vajasravas." 6. Mantrams 10 and 11, As the first boon, Nasciketas wants the blessing to return to his father.

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-10. 1. Naciketas said, : "O Lord of Death!  as the first part of the three boons,  2.  The first one : that Goutama, my father, be pacified, 3. be kind, and free from anger towards me,  4. and that he may recognise me, 5. and greet me, when I am sent away by you."  6. Naciketas is first and foremost a dutiful son, and so the very first boon is utilised in bringing peace and joy to his father. 7. Naciketas wants his father to enjoy comfortable nights without regrets for having sent his son to the Abode of Death.

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-9. 1. Lord of Death Yama  apologising  for his absence and to make Naciketas waiting for three days without food and water, 2. And,  in return an atonement in the form of three boons (varam), 3.  From 1 to 9 mantrams: Summary- To keep his father's words Naciketas goes to the Yamalokam  to meet Lord of Death, the Yama. There for three nights he remains unfed. To atone for his inhospitality, Lord Death Yama offers the boy three boons. 

1. In the case of an ignorant man, in whose house a brahmana ( Jnani not caste) guest stays without taking food :  2. What will happen to the house holder :  3. Hopes and Expectations , 4. Fruits of company with good men, 5.Merits of sweet and friendly discourses, 6.Beneficial results of sacred sacrifices, 7. Charitable deeds and pious gifts,  8. Sons and cattle,  9. Serial  no 3 to 9 will be destroyed. 10. A house-holder who insults and not taking care  of a saintly guest is called by the Sruti as an Alpa medhasah ( as an idiot). 11. If today we find in our society more people who ignore charity and hospitality, in the language of the Sruti, we are generation of idiots! 

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-7. 1. Naciketas comforting his father and persuading him act up to the ideals. 2. Then the young boy left his home towards Yamalokam. 3. Yama the Lord of Death was not at Yamalokam. 4. And Naciketas had to wait for three days, without food and water. 5. At the end of third day Lord of Death arrived, seeing the boy there, Lord understood the whole story. 6. Immediately Yama called his assistants saying "A brahmana ( Jnani, not caste) guest is here like a fire, give water to quieten him."

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-6. 1.This mantram tells us the truth that our present existence is not a mere accidental happening but is a measured link, shaped out by ourselves which makes the chain of life complete, connecting the dead past with the unborn future. 2.These words indicate not only that there were many incarnations taken by the 'ego' in us in the past, but also that it shall again continue manifesting in numerous incarnations in the future too. 3. In short, the present life in this form ( rupam) upon the earth is but an incident in the Eternal Existence of the Soul. 4. Generations after generations come upon the earth, feed stay, mature,  breed and die away leaving this place to new generation! 5. This idea is expressed in this mantram  through a metaphor taken from the germination, growth, and decay of the corn ( grain) or any seasonal weed which grow during rainy season and after flowering, later leaving their seeds and decay themsel

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-5. Naciketas thoughts about Yama the Lord of Death and What he has to on meeting Yama:- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/ 1. Naciketas retires from the presence of his preoccupied father to ponder over and digest the circumstances. 2. Here Naciketas surprisingly positioned by a most unexpected development around and about him, in the external world of his relationships. He started to analyse and discriminate and finally to judge the situation. 3. He thought that the duty of a disciple or a son is to be ever implicit in the service of his teacher or his father. 4. With reference to the execution of duty to a Guru, the disciples are classified under three heads: a). the best, b). the so-so, and c). the bad. 5. The best ones are those who, knowing the wish of the Guru, always serve him;  6. The so-so are those who are infallibly o

1. Naciketas father 'Gautama' was busy in distributing the cows to the priests. 2. Naciketas visibly upset with his own confusions within. He is not able to reach the sacred meaning of his father's actions.  3. He is anxious that his father  who is performing the Yajna with desire should attain its fulfillment.  4. But in his knowledge of the Sastras he knew that the sacrifice called 'Visvajita'  be fully potent only when the performer sacrifices everything he possesses. 5. Naciketas thought in his childish immaturity "But somehow, due to some sense of attachment and delusive feeling and his father decided to make some compromises with the Sastras and promoted his own will." 6. Here Naciketas reads a sure tragedy in store for his father in future. 7. The young boy, overcome by his sense of duty towards his father, walks up to the old man who is busily engaged in the distribution of cows,and enquires : "Father, to whom  will

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-3. Godhanm in the Yajna:- 1. Naciketas was sad when the time arrived for Dakshina to the priests, where cows are given, but the boy was not impressed upon this rituals. The cows are very weak not ate anything, not drank water, they are barren, not yielding milk, no use to the  conductor of the yajna, given away with great pain(unhappy). The young boy thought that why his father do that way! 2.Naciketas was able to quote the Sastras and say that the performers of sacrifices, who become stingy and miserly in their gifts to the priests, would reach the Narakam ( sorrowful worlds). This is the thought of the young boy who was a student well versed in the texts of the Sastras.   

Chapter-1 Section-1. Mantram-2. Recap:- Here the hero of this story is Naciketas was well-bred, high-born, and good child. His grandfather was 'Vajasrava'. The son of Vajasrava, the father of Naciketas is now engaged in the performance of a great sacrifice called 'Visvajit' in which the performer has to give away in charity all that he possesses. Householders in the past used to perform this yajna before they renounced everything and entered Samnyasa. Hence the cultural purity of the student Naciketas is hinted here. Now in this second mantram Naciketas, the boy, having developed sufficient discrimination and daring to interpret independently the inner significance of the sacrifice was filled with 'faith'and judged rightly the significance of what his father did.

Chapter-1. Section-1. Mantram-1. Son of Vajasravas (Gautama) performed sacrifices and rituals, with the desire of gaining his wish of attaining  Heaven and gave away, in a sacrifice, all his possessions. He renounced everything in this process. He had a son by name Naciketas who was with his father and watching all the proceedings.